Bausch confirms eye infection cases in Europe: report

May 4, 2006

NEW YORK (Reuters) – Eye care company Bausch & Lomb Inc. confirmed for the first time its ReNu contact-lens solution has been linked to a “handful” of eye infection cases in Europe, the Wall Street Journal reported on its Web site on Thursday.

The cases “will be fully evaluated,” Margaret Graham, a spokesman for Bausch told the Journal. Graham did not specify where or how many cases are known.

Graham was not immediately reachable for further comment on Thursday.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released a report on Tuesday that suggested an outbreak of Fusarium keratitis, a rare fungal infection that can lead to blindness and potential eye loss, related to its products, may be more widespread than first thought.

Shares of Bausch & Lomb fell nearly 10 percent on Wednesday.

Cases have already been identified in Asia and the U.S., where the company has pulled its ReNu with MoistureLoc product off store shelves.